Sunshine Sequellum: The Phoenix
by Wordwryhta
Summary: MINI-SEQUEL TO SUNSHINE! Russel and Noodle share a touching moment.


Okay. First follow-up to Sunshine. I hope you like it.

* * *

It was her wedding day, so why wasn't she happy? The plans had been made, the invitations sent, guests were arriving, but she stood naked and looking at herself in the mirror and wondering if she had made the right decision.

She frowned. Her face looked plastic, fake. She had hoped that the bruises and scars that adorned her body and face would have faded after six months. For the most part, they had-save for a few on her back and one (she thought) glaring bruise under her right eye. She had told the stylist who Murdoc had hired to do her hair and make-up that she wanted a lot to cover up the bruising, and, delighted, he obliged, caking her face with layers upon layers of the thick stuff. He had apparently taken this as an invitation to go all out on her long, straight violet hair as well; so he had curled it, pinned it, moussed it; and now, it towered over her head. Her frown deepened. She looked like a cupcake.

This wasn't the only thing that bothered her, though. There was something gnawing at her, a voice that screamed in her head and told her awful things about herself and her relationship with the blue-haired singer waiting eagerly in a nearby tent. The voices were so loud and insistent that she considered running until she couldn't hear them any more.

Since they had returned from Hell, she had been fighting the fears and doubts that the voices fed her, telling her that she would only ruin the poor man's life, and though her love attempted to reassure her on several occasions that he loved her implicitly, she was sure that if he knew everything, he would flee. He would be too shocked, and he would hate her. Ultimately, he would leave her, and she would be alone just as she had been in Hell.

She was still lost in her thoughts when she heard a light cough outside her tent.

"Ahem, Baby Girl? You decent?"

Quickly, she grabbed the satin white robe sitting on the back of her chair and wrapped it around her body.

"Hai, Russel-sama," she said, swiping away the tears that had formed during her musings.

Russel's large frame filled the tent as he eased in past the flap. He stood for a second looking at her curiously before speaking.

"You've been awfully quiet in here, Noods. Is there anything I can do?"

She faked a smile, "Oh, no, Russel-sama, I'm fine. I was just getting ready to put my wedding dress on." She turned to grab the fabric hanging on the rack when Russel's hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Baby Girl," he said, "I know you better than that."

"I'm fine. Really," to prove her point, she gave the man a toothy grin.

He was not convinved, however, "Don't lie to me, Noods."

She burst into tears, sinking into her chair, "I can't do it, Russel. I can't marry 2-D!"

Russel jerked his hand back as though he had been burned.

"You can—but, why?" he begged, kneeling in front of the small girl.

Sobbing, she began to tug at her hair, pulling the pins out and yanking at the tendrils that fell around her face.

"Baby Girl, stop it!" the large man demanded, holding her hands to keep them from doing any more damage. "Now we all know that you're going to marry D, Noods. He's been through Hell and back for you-literally, and you love him with all your heart, don't you?"

Still sobbing, she nodded her head.

"You want to make him happy? To be the best wife you can be? You wanna protect him and laugh with him and have spats and make up, right?

Again, she nodded. Calming down, she looked at in the vast white expanses of Russel's eyes.

"Now if that ain't what it takes to make a happy marriage, I don't know what does." he shook his head and kissed her cheek, "You've messed your hair up something awful, now. Let me see if I can fix it."

He turned her chair so that her back was to the mirror and began to quickly pull the numerous pins out, allowing her hair to fall back around her face in a tangled mess.

"Aw, man. What'd he do to you? This is worse than _Steel Magnolias_."

At this, he grabbed a brush and began to try to straighten out the teased mess. He looked down at her as he worked and frowned.

She was staring down at her hands, her face hidden by the vast tangles. His heart ached to see her like this, but he wouldn't force her to talk. He was surprised, however when a small voice floated past all the hair.

"I don't deserve him," she choked.

Russel stopped, "What do you mean, Baby Girl? Why wouldn't you deserve him?"

"I'm not...pure."

Russel cocked his head, "Well, no you're not. He knows that. Haven't you two..."

She shook her head, "No. Not really. We were together when I was in Hell, but that was more like a dream of sorts, a connection of our spirits; and since we've been back, we have slept in the same bed, but..."

"Oh," Russel nodded, "I get it." Inside, he smiled. He'd have to give the crazy singer credit: He hadn't tried to pressure his Noodle-girl into anything she wasn't ready for. Suddenly, however, he found that he was confused, "But if you two haven't...you know. Why would you feel...?"

At this, he saw fresh tears fall into her hands, and he understood then. Renewed anger toward the demon who had taken her from them swelled darkly within his chest. She had been raped. A malevolent force had ripped her from this world and had taken advantage of her when she was powerless to stop it.

"Why, Baby Girl," his voice quaked. "Why hadn't you told us? Why hadn't you told 2-D?"

"I was scared," she whispered. "I didn't want him to hate me."

"He would never..."

She cut him off, "I am used, broken. I am useless and unlovable. That...creature took everything from me," she picked up a small, hand-held mirror off the vanity and looked at herself. "I have to hide my face to cover up what he did to me. I feel so...dirty. 2-D, he deserves better than a rag-doll that something used to wipe up its needs." At this, she slammed the mirror against the corner of the dresser, shattering it, causing Russel to flinch. Burying her face in her hands, she sobbed.

Russel watched her for a minute as her body shook from the force of her tears. He knelt down in front of her and gently took her shoulders in his massive hands.

"Baby Girl," he whispered, nudging her cheek with the crook of one of his fingers, "look at me."

She shook her head and began tugging at her hair again.

"Now, now, Baby. Don't you go doing that, "he comforted, gently pulling her hands back out of her hair. "Look at me," his voice was more firm this time.

Slowly, sniffling still, she lifted her head. Smiling at her, he reached into his pocket and pulled a small, white box, placing it in her tiny lap.

"Open it," he commanded.

She looked at the box curiously for a few seconds before finally opening the gift. She gasped. A small mother-of-pearl hair comb shimmered in the light. Adorning the top of the comb was a delicate carving of a that resembled a peacock with long, flowing tail that extended past the edge of the comb and wings were that spread as though it were about to take flight. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She looked up at Russel, who smiled and took the comb in his beefy hand, making it seem ever more delicate and fragile.

"My mother left this with me. Her father gave it to her on her wedding day, and she hoped that I would do the same for my daughter. It's a phoenix," he explained. "Do you know of the legend of the phoenix?" he asked as he moved behind her and began to smooth her hair out again. When she shook her head, he continued, "It's a bird that lives a thousand years. Its purpose during this lifetime is to bring comfort to the weary and solace to the lonely. There is a belief that the phoenix can bring healing in its tears and soothe the pain of the sorrowful.

"But the really amazing thing about the phoenix is that after its thousand years are up, it bursts into flames and dies. After it does this, though, it is born again, right out of its own ashes. It's a symbol of resurrection-rebirth."

She raised her head and looked back at him, but he continued on, "You're kinda like a phoenix, aren't ya? You rose from the ashes of Hell. You were reborn when Miyuki gave her life for you. Even more than that, though, you live to bring peace and comfort. You have taken care of D, Muds and me your whole life, and you have brought comfort to all of us on more than one occasion," he smiled, turning her so that he could look her in her face. "You are a special woman, no matter what's happened, and you deserve to be happy however you choose."

She knit her eyebrows together and looked back down at her hands, "Wouldn't you want to keep it in case you ever had a daughter of your own?"

He cocked his head and looked at her curiously, "You _are_ my daughter, Noodle, ever since you popped your head outta that Fed Ex box and smiled at me, you have been mine. I can't imagine ever loving anyone as much as I love you. You're my Baby Girl, and you always will be, no matta if I have a thousand other daughters," he leaned in and kissed her cheek again. Then, standing up straight and clapping his hands together, he said, "Tell me, how do you like your hair, now?"

Curiously, she turned to look at the mirror choked back the lump that sprung into her throat. Her hair was down now and cascaded down her back in long sweeping tendrils that framed her face beautifully on one side. The other side, however, was swept up where it was secured by the comb, the fragile curves of mother-of-pearl looking as though they were carved into her hair. Her bangs swept delicately across one of her eyes. It was beautiful.

"Oh, Russel, thank you!" Tears rolled down her cheeks as she spun to wrap her arms around her father.

"Aw, I knew ya wos in here makin' her cry." a gravelly voice growled from the entrance to the tent. They turned to see Murdoc. "Now she's done gone and messed her make-up. She looks a mess."

"Muds," Russel growled

Noodle turned and looked in the mirror, "No, Russel-sama, he's right." She reached in the top drawer of the vanity and grabbed a cleansing towel.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, 2-D was standing on the beach, wearing a tuxedo as Noodle had wanted, but he had left the shirt untucked and the topmost buttons open. His feet were bare. He was watching the large white tent at the back of the crowd, expectantly shifting his weight from one foot to another having given up on trying to look casual and nonchalant long ago. Now, he felt like a kid waiting for his mother to set out a fresh batch of cookies. He would occasionally put his hands in his pockets, but then he would pull them back out again, unsure of what to do with them. He wished that Murdoc had agreed to be his best man. Although he knew that the old bassist wouldn't have given him any words of encouragement, he wouldn't be by himself.

"Where is he?" he wondered to himself, scanning the crowd and not finding the grumpy, green-skinned man.

Suddenly, the music began to play a soft sweet song that Noodle had picked, and his thoughts were washed away as head snapped toward the tent. His heartbeat began to quicken, and it was then that he forgot how to breathe. She was standing arm in arm with Russel, who looked fit to bursting with pride. She had chosen a white wedding kimono to honor her Japanese heritage. It fit her tiny frame perfectly, draping off her body beautifully. Two dangerously high slits on the sides of her dress exposed her long, lithe legs. She, too was barefoot. Her make up was spare and perfect, right down to her lightly glossed lips.

He watched every step she took as she walked toward him, a soft grin adorning her lips. When she arrived, she turned to Russel and kissed him gently, whispering something into his ear as she did. Tears filled his eyes, and he nodded his head, kissing her back. She turned back to 2-D and looked at him curiously, "Where's Murdoc-sama?" she whispered.

"I don' know, an' I don' care," he gasped, taking her face in his hands, ready to kiss her.

"Now, none of tha'," came a voice as a green hand was thrust between their faces, "we gotta get you two married fore ya can' do tha'. Gotta be some kind o' order to this shit, or jus' anyone could jump up here and get their freak on," he mumbled as the couples' heads slowly swiveled toward Murdoc, who was standing in front of them, shirtless with his cape around his shoulders and his captain's hat atop his head. 2-D and Noodle looked behind the satanist to see the preacher they had hired bound and gagged and hidden safely away behind the staging area.

"Now, then," he said grinning evilly as he rubbed his palms together, "I call upon the forces of Darkness and the infernal power within! Consecrate this place with the power, love, and light of Lucifer. Join with us, we say in the binding of these two shall be as one..."

* * *

That's it! Please R&R. I promise Murdoc won't be the comic relief in every story, but I wanted him to do the ceremony. Just fits, doesn't it?

Murdoc's words at the end are from the Satanic wedding ceremony.

I'm working on another story that will take place between this one and Sunshine. I just have to work it out.

I'm also going back and cleaning up Sunshine. I see some plot holes and some BAD editing that I need to take care of. If you haven't read it, give it a try and review it: I'm looking forward to getting thirty reviews.


End file.
